DHS awards $2.5M contract for STAR tool support to Forge Group, LLC, with no competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $2,532,429 ($2.5M)

Contractor: Forge Group, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Homeland Security

Start Date: 2020-07-07

End Date: 2025-07-06

Contract Duration: 1,825 days

Daily Burn Rate: $1.4K/day

Competition Type: NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: THIS CONTRACT SUPPORTS THE USE OF THE STAR TOOL FROM A USERS PERSPECTIVE. THE OVERALL SCOPE INCLUDES: MONTHLY DATA VERIFICATION, REPORT DEVELOPMENT, USER SUPPORT AND CHANGE REQUESTS, DATA STUDIES, AND TRAINING.

Place of Performance

Location: HERNDON, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 20171

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Homeland Security obligated $2.5 million to FORGE GROUP, LLC for work described as: THIS CONTRACT SUPPORTS THE USE OF THE STAR TOOL FROM A USERS PERSPECTIVE. THE OVERALL SCOPE INCLUDES: MONTHLY DATA VERIFICATION, REPORT DEVELOPMENT, USER SUPPORT AND CHANGE REQUESTS, DATA STUDIES, AND TRAINING. Key points: 1. Contract focuses on data verification, reporting, user support, and training for the STAR tool. 2. Forge Group, LLC is the sole awardee, indicating a lack of competitive bidding. 3. The contract value is $2,532,429.01 over 1825 days. 4. Services fall under Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. 5. The contract is a Firm Fixed Price award.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract value of $2.5M over five years for consulting services needs comparison to similar contracts. Without benchmarks for STAR tool support, assessing pricing effectiveness is difficult.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded sole-source, meaning it was not competed. This limits price discovery and potentially leads to higher costs for taxpayers.

Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition may result in the government paying more than necessary for these services, impacting taxpayer funds.

Public Impact

Citizens rely on the STAR tool for critical functions, making its support essential. The TSA's operational efficiency is directly impacted by the effectiveness of this contract. Transparency in sole-source awards is crucial for public trust in government spending.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Sole-source award limits competition and price negotiation.
Lack of clear justification for sole-source award.
Potential for cost overruns due to lack of competitive pressure.

Positive Signals

Contract supports a critical tool (STAR).
Long-term award provides stability for service delivery.
Firm Fixed Price contract offers cost certainty.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls under management consulting services, a broad sector. Benchmarks for similar specialized tool support contracts are needed to assess value.

Small Business Impact

The awardee, Forge Group, LLC, is not identified as a small business in the provided data. This contract does not appear to include specific provisions for small business participation.

Oversight & Accountability

The sole-source nature of this award warrants close oversight to ensure fair pricing and effective service delivery. Documentation justifying the sole-source decision is critical for accountability.

Related Government Programs

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
Department of Homeland Security Contracting
Transportation Security Administration Programs

Risk Flags

Sole-source award lacks competition.
Potential for inflated pricing due to no competition.
Lack of transparency in the award justification.
No clear indication of small business participation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Homeland Security awarded $2.5 million to FORGE GROUP, LLC. THIS CONTRACT SUPPORTS THE USE OF THE STAR TOOL FROM A USERS PERSPECTIVE. THE OVERALL SCOPE INCLUDES: MONTHLY DATA VERIFICATION, REPORT DEVELOPMENT, USER SUPPORT AND CHANGE REQUESTS, DATA STUDIES, AND TRAINING.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is FORGE GROUP, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $2.5 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2020-07-07. End: 2025-07-06.

What is the specific justification for awarding this contract sole-source, and was a market research conducted to confirm no other vendors could provide the required services?

The provided data states the contract is 'NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION,' implying a sole-source award. A thorough review of the contract file would be necessary to ascertain the specific justification and confirm if market research was performed. Without this documentation, it's difficult to assess if the government adequately explored competitive options.

How does the performance of Forge Group, LLC on this contract compare to industry benchmarks for similar administrative management and general management consulting services?

Assessing performance against industry benchmarks requires access to performance metrics and quality data for this specific contract, which is not provided. Comparing the cost and outcomes to similar contracts for specialized tool support, if available, would offer insights. However, the sole-source nature complicates direct cost comparisons.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this contract, and how are they being measured to ensure the effectiveness of the STAR tool support?

The provided data does not detail the specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this contract. Effective oversight would require clearly defined KPIs related to data verification accuracy, report timeliness, user support response times, and training effectiveness. Regular performance reviews against these KPIs are essential to gauge contract success.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 12211 LAKE JAMES DR, HERNDON, VA, 20171

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Category Business, Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business, Limited Liability Corporation, Minority Owned Business, Other Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Small Business, Sole Proprietorship, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business, Veteran Owned Business, Woman Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $4,530,409

Exercised Options: $4,530,409

Current Obligation: $2,532,429

Actual Outlays: $1,624,518

Subaward Activity

Number of Subawards: 3

Total Subaward Amount: $216,454

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline